Hand grenade safety lock pull ring assembly

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a safety release device for explosive bombs or hand grenades. The safety device permits the munition to be safely handled and securely held in an inoperative condition. The invention has reference to and proposes means whereby the cotter pin can be locked in a safe condition which can be released and removed by the thrower when desired. The device may be actuated to bring the mechanism into a set position, whereby the device may thereafter be instantaneously caused to become operative. The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

United States Patent [1 1 Padula HAND GRENADE SAFETY LOCK PULL RING ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: William V. Padula, Cranford, NJ.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC

[22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 229,370

[52] U.S. Cl. 102/64 [51] Int. Cl. F42b 27/00 [58] Field of Search 102/64, 65, 65.2, 102/65.4

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,560,628 11/1925 Wiley lO2/64 3,448,688 6/1969 Sinderman lO2/65.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 107,195 6/1920 Great Britain 102/64 Oct. 16, 1973 Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examinerl-larold Tudor Att0rney-Harry M. Saragovitz et al.

[57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a safety release device for explosive bombs or hand grenades. The safety device permits the munition to be safely handled and securely held in an inoperative condition. The invention has reference to and proposes means whereby the cotter pin can be locked in a safe condition which can be released and removed by the thrower when desired. The device may be actuated to bring the mechanism into a set position, whereby the device may thereafter be instantaneously caused to become operative.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HAND GRENADE SAFETY LOCK PULL RING ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the art of explosive bombs, especially of a type in which detonation is effected by the removal of a cotter pin.

The prior art pull ring assemblies, used with hand grenades consisted of a circular pull ring attached to a cotter pin. The pull ring is easily accessible to the thrower and can rapidly remove the cotter pin by inserting the forefinger through the ring and pulling it outwardly. Withdrawal of the cotter pin starts a fuze burning which will, in turn ignite the primer. Other forms of grenades have further safety means in a compression member which is normally held by the hand until the grenade is thrown, after which the fuze or powder train starts to burn. The prior art pull ring assembly hangs freely from the cotter pin and can be inadvertently or accidentally snagged, permitting the cotter pin to be pulled out. Grenades of this type have been long considered dangerous and have accounted for many casualties. There are many reasons for this; one being troops moving in heavily wooded areas run the risk that branches may snag on the pull ring and accidentally pull out the cotter pin. Then, too, many times the grenade may snag on protruding objects in close or congested quarters. Furthermore, the present pull ring rattles during troop movements disclosing the location of troops that may require security in a combat zone.

The present construction overcomes these aforementioned objections to the prior art hand grenade in that this grenade can be considered as safe since the feature that secures the cotter pin is incorporated in the current grenade design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a construction in which danger of accidental withdrawal of the cotter pin is practically eliminated. To this end, the cotter pin is held in place by a wire frame which is operatively bent to engage the cotter pin and a handle locking member. Accordingly, it is practically impossible for the grenade to explode unless it is deliberately and intentionally activated by the operator. The preferred form of the invention provides a wire frame of simple construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture which is highly effective in the service for which it is designed.

An object of the invention is to provide a locking device for hand grenades or other explosive bombs that can be readily, rapidly and reliably released when desired.

Another object is to provide a grenade safety release means that can be readily reset if the intended use is not accomplished.

A further object is to provide the release element in an accessible location without effecting its use.

A still further object is to provide a locking device that will maintain the cotter pin in a stationary position.

A further purpose is to combine a manual safety release that would not be snagged causing the grenade to activate accidentally.

A still further purpose is to provide a safety release assembly that does not rattle when shaken, to offer troops additional security in combat zones when silence is required, and when noise could disclose their presence and position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the safety device applied to the hand grenade in locked position.

FIGS. 2 to 5 show the safety lock pull ring assembly in progressive steps as it is being unlocked to accomplish arming of the grenade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in which like characters or references designate similar parts in various views, 12 indicates the grenade as a whole which, in this instance, comprises a bomb portion 14, a lever 16, cotter pin 18 and a safety lock pull ring 20. The bomb portion 14, of the grenade 12 may be of any suitable shape or form adopted to contain an explosive charge. Within the bomb portion 14, a housing, detachably screwed thereinto which is of no moment to the subject invention, is in communication with a time fuze and leads to the detonation of the grenade 12. The time fuze is retained in its retracted position by the lever 16. The lever 16 is adapted to engage the outer extremity of the time fuze and extending around the exterior of the grenade. The lever 16 retains the time fuze in a retracted condition which is itself maintained in a stationary position by the cotter pin 18. The cotter pin 18 is a split pin composed of metal of a pliable character. The split section of the cotter pin 18 may be bent in a direction toward the body of the grenade for safety purposes as shown in FIG. 2.

In the construction shown the safety lock pull ring 20 may conveniently be of rectangular form, fitted on the crown of the grenade, formed to engage the surfaces of the grenade with a releasable catch 26 at its base. The crown of the grenade serves as a seat for the pull ring 20 whose releasable catch 26 operates as a compression spring adapted for removal.

As shown in FIG. 2, a box type ring 20 of wire which passes through loop 22 of cotter pin 18, is formed to adapt and suitably secured to the grenade. The pull ring 20 is fixedly secured by press fitting on the surface of the crown so as to maintain pull ring in a fixed position. The ring 20 can be made from any material that is formable and has resiliency so that it may be appended to the grenade. As shown in FIG. 1 the pull ring 20 straddles the top portion of the crown and lever 16 and seated on the lever 16 which is restrained by the cotter pin 18 which is connected by a loop 22 to the pull ring 20. The ring 20 is fixedly secured to the cotter pin 18 so that, owing to the presence of a loop 22, the ring 20 will be held in slidable engagement with the cotter pin 18. The pull ring 20 is shown in FIG. 1 as carried on the cotter pin 18 disposed at the extremity and slidingly engaged thereto. When the pull ring 20 is firmly emplaced on the grenade it guards against movement of the cotter pin 18, locking it in place and preventing it from backing off the grenade. Therefore, as long as the parts are in this position the grenade cannot be armed.

It is desirable that a releasing means from the grenade be provided for the pull ring 20. In the construction shown in FIG. 1 a tab 24 is provided at one end of the ring 20 so incorporated as to project beyond the surface of the grenade. It has been found in operation that less than a half inch projection is sufficient in its operation and occupies a small enough area so that it can be easily stored and handled.

When the tab 24 is actuated the pull ring is released and it is permitted to spring off the grenade. It should be noted that the releasing force applied to the tab 24 must be moved axially as well as a lateral direction to the longitudinal axis of the grenade. The safety pull ring 20 is of such form and so incorporated in relation to the external surface of the crown that upon release, moves away from the grenade in a manner which would not foul the action of the grenade. It merely hangs like a normal pull ring at the point appended to the cotter pin 18, easily pivotable and is used to remove the cotter pin 18 from the grenade when so desired.

In operation, the present invention provides a safety lock pull ring 20 which eliminates the danger of accidental detonation. The safety lock pull ring 20 forms means for withdrawing the cotter pin 18 to arm the grenade and also acts as a safety latch to prevent the cotter pin 18 to be withdrawn merely by lateral movement.

The grenade is carried with the safety lock pull ring 20 in place. When the grenade is to be used the safety lock 20 is detached from the grenade by action on the tab 24 which acts to free the pull ring 20 from the crown. Arming must be accomplished by a pull upwards and outwards off the crown of the grenade leaving the same unsecured as a normal grenade having merely a pull ring appended to the cotter pin 18. The grenade is now in position so that the cotter pin 18 may be pulled and the grenade thrown. The grenade will still be safe against ignition due to accidental dropping. The pull ring 20 is then conveniently used to withdraw the cotter pin 18 from the grenade to permit the firing mechanism to arm. The grenade may now be thrown in the usual manner.

The essence of the invention relies in the fact that the arming of the grenade requires a determined and deliberate act by the user. Since if in merely handling the grenade the safety lock pull ring 20 should be released because of accident or inadvertence there is still a factor of safety since the removal of pull ring 20 does not arm the grenade. The cotter pin 18 associated with the pull ring 20 requires a deliberate and intentional pull on the pull ring 20 to remove the cotter pin 18. It will thus be seen that there is secured an additional factor of safety in the subject invention since the motion to remove the safety lock pull ring 20 is not the same as required by the removal of the cotter pin 18.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact method and detail of construction described for obvious modification will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a hand grenade comprising:

a housing containing an explosive charge;

a crown on said housing containing a fuze to initiate said charge;

a lever for controlling activation of said fuze pivotably and removably attached to said crown;

a removable cotter pin locking said lever to said crown in an unarmed position; and

a pull ring attached to the head of said cotter pin;

wherein:

said crown is of substantially rectangular shape;

said lever is pivotably attached to one end of said rectangular crown and locked to the opposite end of said crown by said cotter pin, and extends over the sides of said crown; said cotter pin passes through both sides of said crown and said lever, the improvement wherein;

said pull ring is a safety lock pull ring shaped so as to straddle said lever and said crown, seat on said lever and form a releasable spring catch for engagement with said crown and lever.

2. The grenade according to claim 1, wherein said safety lock pull ring is fabricated of spring wire and forms a releasable catch for engagement with said pivot end of said crown and a tab to facilitate manual release of said catch. 

1. In a hand grenade comprising: a housing containing an explosive charge; a crown on said housing containing a fuze to initiate said charge; a lever for controlling activation of said fuze pivotably and removably attached to said crown; a removable cotter pin locking said lever to said crown in an unarmed position; and a pull ring attached to the head of said cotter pin; wherein: said crown is of substantially rectangular shape; said lever is pivotably attached to one end of said rectangular crown and locked to the opposite end of said crown by said cotter pin, and extends over the sides of said crown; said cotter pin passes through both sides of said crown and said lever, the improvement wherein; said pull ring is a safety lock pull ring shaped so as to straddle said lever and said crown, seat on said lever and form a releasable spring catch for engagement with said crown and lever.
 2. The grenade according to claim 1, wherein said safety lock pull ring is fabricated of spring wire and forms a releasable catch for engagement with said pivot end of said crown and a tab to facilitate manual release of said catch. 